Traditional photopolymers based on acrylates and methacrylates have limited utility in biomedical applications, for example, as bone replacement materials, and dental fillers. This is due, in part, to their cytotoxicity and suboptimal mechanical properties, including low impact resistance.
Existing bone replacement materials include autografts and allografts, which consist of tissue obtained from the same or another subject of the same species. While these materials are commonly used for tissue repair and substitution, they have some serious disadvantages, such as limited availability and the possibility of donor site morbidity in the case of autografts and complications, such as viral transmission and immunogenicity in the case of allografts.
To overcome these drawbacks new synthetic biocompatible and biodegradable materials are needed. Also, since the defects to be repaired often differ in size, shape, and/or location in the body, it is necessary to develop compositions and techniques that allow the fabrication of a replacement material in any conceivable shape.
To enable proper healing and rebuilding of a bone, e.g. after removal of a tumor, it is necessary to implant a biodegradable tissue scaffold, which perfectly fits in the hole and gives mechanical support. The scaffold material must not only be biocompatible and bioresorbable, but also support attachment and differentiation of osteogenic cells. Therefore, a need exists for synthetic material that is porous to promote the supply of nutrients and cells to the site of the replacement material.
Accordingly, a need exists for curable monomer-based compositions that can easily be introduced at a site of a structure, in a patient's body, to augment the structure with a resorbable, biocompatible polymer that is cured in vivo.